Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

हृदादिद्वादशांतस्थं प्राणापानोदयास्तगम् । अग्राह्यमिन्द्रियात्मानं निष्कलंकात्मकं विभुम्

Transliteration

hṛdādidvādaśāṃtasthaṃ prāṇāpānodayāstagam | agrāhyamindriyātmānaṃ niṣkalaṃkātmakaṃ vibhum

Translation

ഹൃദയത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന സൂക്ഷ്മ ‘ദ്വാദശാന്ത’ത്തിൽ അവൻ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; പ്രാണ-അപാനങ്ങളുടെ ഉദയവും അസ്തവും അവൻ തന്നേ. ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങൾക്ക് അഗ്രാഹ്യൻ, ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളുടെ അന്തരാത്മാവ്—നിഷ്കലങ്കനും സർവ്വവ്യാപിയും.

Word by Word

• hṛdādi-dvādaśānta-stham: situated in the twelvefold end beginning with the heart
• hṛdādi-dvādaśānta-stham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + dvādaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (धातु/कृदन्त; √sthā)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘हृदादि-द्वादश-अन्ते स्थितम्’ इति; कृदन्त-विशेषण (स्थ)

• prāṇa-apāna-udaya-asta-gam: moving with the rise and setting of prāṇa and apāna
• prāṇa-apāna-udaya-asta-gam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + apāna (प्रातिपदिक) + udaya (प्रातिपदिक) + asta (प्रातिपदिक) + gam (धातु/कृदन्त; √gam)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘प्राणापानयोः उदय-अस्तयोः गमनम्/गतिमत्’ इति; कृदन्त (गम)

• agrāhyam: not graspable
• agrāhyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (उपसर्ग/निषेध) + grāhya (कृदन्त; √grah)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/निषेधपूर्वक कृदन्त-विशेषण — ‘ग्राह्य’ (to be grasped) इत्यस्य निषेधः

• indriya-ātmānam: the Self of the senses
• indriya-ātmānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘इन्द्रियाणाम् आत्मा’ इति; कर्मपद

• niṣkalaṅka-ātmakam: of stainless nature
• niṣkalaṅka-ātmakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣkalaṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय) — ‘निष्कलङ्कः आत्मा यस्य/यः’ इति; विशेषण

• vibhum: the all-pervading Lord
• vibhum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्य/कर्मपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa—Someśvara/Somnatha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A yogin before the liṅga visualizes a luminous channel from heart upward to a subtle point (dvādaśānta); prāṇa and apāna are shown as two currents meeting and dissolving into a spotless white radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Sadāśiva
• Prāṇa
• Apāna
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is realized not by the senses but in subtle yogic awareness, as the pure, all-pervading Self.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as a place where Sadāśiva is known through inner yogic insight.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external ritual; the verse points to contemplative yoga involving awareness of prāṇa and apāna.